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Remember that time we got really high off of paint fumes while silkscreening Mint/CiTR Pop Alliance LP covers? Well, this March, we're going to open the windows and do it again. GET READY for VOLUME 3 of the Mint/CiTR Pop Alliance Compilation! It will be out on Tuesday, March 5th, 2013.

To carry on the Pop Alliance tradition, we called upon CiTR’s Duncan McHugh (aka: the host of Duncan’s Donuts) to bring together 14 of Vancouver's finest including Jay Arner, Movieland, Korean Gut (RIP), Peace and more. Many songs are un-released and once again, all proceeds will go back to CiTR 101.9 - the birthplace of Mint Records!

Only 300 of these waxy gems will be pressed, carefully silkscreened by the station's volunteers and numbered by hand. You can get one by donating to the station during their upcoming funding drive (Feb 28 - Mar 8), pre-ordering the release from us, or waiting for the record to hit record store shelves on Tuesday March 5th, 2013.

And while we're rambling, check out the incredible album artwork from former CiTR DJ, Melanie Coles. Mr. Jay Arner also deserves a golden star for mastering this creation and producing many of the tracks on the record.

To unleash this record in style, we're rounding up as many of the bands on the comp as possible (the lineup is currently TBD) and taking over Chapel Arts (204 Dunlevy) for an evening. This time, we're setting up not one, but two stages. Mark Friday, March 8th on your calendar, it's going to be swell!

Now, you're probably wondering about the bands:

Movieland: Movieland is Alie, Selina, Adrienne and Davina. They take turns writing their own songs.“1-2-3-4 Get Fucked” comes from their so-to-be released debut on Green Burrito Records. It was mixed and recorded by Mr. Jay Arner.

Peace: According to Spin, “Your Hand in Mine” is a moonlit number with a heavy heart and dead eyes. We borrowed this track from their 2012 release called The World is Too Much With Us (Suicide Squeeze).

Jay Arner: Jay Arner is the multitalented man-about-town who co-recorded the new Apollo Ghosts record and contributes to bands including Fine Mist, Bleating Hearts and Gal Gracen. He was kind enough to produce several songs on this compilation and mastered the release too. His upcoming TBD solo project is something you should probably look out for!

Gal Gracen: Patrick Geraghty, of Role Mach (you may remember him from Vol 2 of The Pop Alliance collection), calls his newest band Gal Gracen and his live band features Adrian from Apollo Ghosts as well as Jay Arner.

PUPS: PUPS is Caitlin Livingston, Katie Gravestock and Rose Melberg. They are from Vancouver, B.C.

Fanshaw: Olivia Fetherstonhaugh aka Fanshaw is known for taking her time with songwriting. This is the first song that has surfaced since her Dark Eyes debut. After listening to this and her previous release, we’ll be right here, patiently waiting to see what she does next.

Aaron Read: Born and recording in Burnaby, BC, Aaron Read makes maunal pop songs with guitars, drums, voices, noises and keyboards. Songs are made out of and always inspired by friends, family, films, experiences and field recordings. In 2011, he captured our interest with his debut record, Bubble Skulls. Since Aaron is a total mensch, he recorded “Unlimited Sight” especially for us. Thanks again Aaron!

Korean Gut: Korean Gut is a surf-garage band, but they don't exist anymore. Jarrett wrote this song about something their bass player said at practice, and it morphed into a bitter rant against people who confront you in troubled times just to feel better about themselves. At least it wasn't about comic books for once. You should probably check out theirYour Misery – Our Benefit 7” (Mammoth Cave). It is a thing of true beauty. When we told them about this comp, Korean Gut were kind enough to record this song just for us.

“The Courtneys are one of those bands that you can file under “feel-good.” I mean, the three-piece named their first release Keanu Reeves (yes, after THAT Keanu Reeves), and their songs don’t have a single angry bone of note.” – Vice

We should also mention, “Be Cool” is an outtake from their 2012 full-length debut called Eye (Psychic Handshake).

Bankrobber: This is Jordan Minkoff from Slam Dunk's other band, which pretty much automatically makes them awesome. Bankrobber is and will always be the band most closely associated with it's roots firmly planted in a mix of this meets that and vice versa. Since 2010 it has been Bankrobber that has been making that familiar sound of a dog biting a dog on a doglog.

Weed: Weed is a heavy, grungey pop band from Vancouver, BC that features Will Anderson, Kevin Doherty, Hugo Noriega and Bobby Siadat. When not recording they play all-ages shows and publish a free monthly newsletter with Lucky’s Comics called "Dunk". This song is from last year's Gun Control EP. They just finished recording their debut LP in Seattle to be released in mid-2013.

Sleuth: Sleuth are the 2011 CiTR Shindig Winners, have been featured on a Cloudberry Records compilation, played NYC Popfest last year, have one release, Brave Knew Nothing and are currently working on new recordings. Besides tipsy bowling with Mint Records, The Lion in Love, Julian Bowers, Oliver McTavish-Wisden and Leon Easter enjoy long walks on the beach and evenings by the fire.

"If you’ve been reading The FADER for a good couple of years, you’d know that there’s been a long-standing soft spot Studio, a now defunct duo that made beach disco perfect for lazing around. If you caught me in the right moment, I would probably tell you it was the best thing to ever exist. Renny Wilson—who probably spends a lot of time listening to yacht rock and old disco—has created a song that sits comfortably up there with Studio’s woefully small catalog. It’s lush and pretty, and more importantly: soft. Not in a bad way, though. It’s more that it feels blurred at the edges, existing in a constant half-sleep state of near bliss. Renny Wilson’s Sugarglider comes out January 22nd on Mint Records."

We at Mint Records are proud to announce our latest signing, Edmonton Alberta's, Renny Wilson. Now, Renny Wilson is not your typical young man. He's a gentleman. He can sport a Canadian tuxedo like no other. And he is a menacing presence both in the studio and on the dance floor. Soon, Renny will win you over with his dizzy, saxified pop indulgences. Look out for his Mint Records debut, Sugarglider in early 2013.

To give you a little more insight, Renny once described his musical being as "A film starring Hall & Oates set on a cruise ship with Donna Summer playing the woman of interest. Competition for her love nearly tears them apart, but they soon find out she and her accomplice, played by Paul McCartney, are plotting to sink the ship! Also, Al Green is the ship's resident crooner." We're just going to say that Sugarglider is our go-to party record these days and we're pretty sure you'll agree.

"As a rule, I pretty much love blissed-out, hypnotic, sax-filled jams, so I was already going to enjoy “By and By”, the new single from Edmonton’s Renny Wilson, but throw in a sexy jeans & gyration-filled, self-shot video, and you can set the Friday Fun meter to 10+++." - Herohill.com

Carolyn Mark is preparing to release her 8th full-length record (9th if you count her album with Neko Case as The Corn Sisters, 10th if you include her compilation soundtrack for Robert Altman's film, "Nashville"). Her new album will be called The Queen of Vancouver Island and released on September 18th, 2012 on her longtime label, Mint Records. Carolyn's last release, Let's Just Stay Here, that she co-wrote with NQ Arbuckle, was nominated for a Juno award and this will be the official follow-up.

The Queen of Vancouver Island was recorded in 4 locations (Hollister, CA, Vancouver, Victoria and Vancouver) in 5 sessions during the winter of 2011-12 with the tops in the field, one can't help thinking THIS IS THE ONE!

Road trip season is here. That means it is almost time for Calgary's finest music festival, Sled Island! We're loading up the van and arriving with fresh trucker's tans, hand-held fans and a handful of our favourite bands.

This year, the Mint Records day party will take place at The Ship and Anchor. It's on Friday, so you should take the afternoon off, order an icy beverage and enjoy the cool summer sounds of:

The Ramblin' Ambassadors
Nardwuar and The Evaporators with special guest ANDREW WK

Continuing their legacy of eclectic lo-fi indie pop albums for Mint, Hot Panda's Go Outside will be out on July 17th. Once again recorded by the famed JC/DC team of David Carswell and John Collins (The New Pornographers, Tegan and Sara), the album is just as vibrant as their first two albums, yet significantly more developed.

"This song has that sort of restrained, through the teeth aggression that is felt mere moments before the brick goes through the window or the bowl of noodles hits the wall behind your girlfriend's head." - Vice

Once again, we're packing our sunglasses, dusting off the sunscreen and heading to Austin for SXSW. We're planning a party too. And you should probably be there. This is the plan: Mint Records, Olio Festival and Light Organ Records present: A FREE SXSW DAY PARTY!!! Thursday, March 15th at Headhunters (720 Red River St) FEATURING: 2:00 - DJ MY!GAY!HUSBAND 2:15 - SUN WIZARD (Light Organ) 2:50 - KELLARISSA (Mint) 3:25 - MODE MODERNE (Light Organ) 4:00 - NARDWUAR & THE EVAPORATORS with ANDREW W.K. (Mint) 5:00 - SHOUT OUT OUT OUT OUT ALSO FEATURING: FREE TACOS (come early!) Photos by THE COBRASNAKE and A GYPSY MARKET SIDEWALK SALE (that's right, there will be vintage clothing galore!). THANK YOU: Exclaim! Magazine, CBC Radio 3, The Georgia Straight, Color Magazine, The Cobrasnake Need more up to the minute party news? There's a Facebook event here. You can also follow us on Twitter.

Longtime Mint recording artists, The Ramblin' Ambassadors are ready to unleash their third full length album, Ramble On. Only 500 copies will be pressed on shiny 180g vinyl and available on March 6th, 2012. If your turntable is still broken, not to worry, it will also be available digitally.

fun fact: Guitar wizard, Brent Cooper, of The Ramblin' Ambassadors made his first Mint Records appearance back in 1995 on a Huevos Rancheros 7" called Dig In. That means he's been putting out records on Mint for over 15 years!

"The Ramblin' Ambassadors have all the shimmery, vintage sounds (the songs are laced in tremolo), but they still have the dusty textures and feedback you'd expect to come from heavy bearded, plaid shirt wearing, tattooed hombres." - Herohill.com

Brace yourselves, the man in plaid is busy and preparing to unveil his latest project. This time, Nardwuar and The Evapotators have invited their friends, Franz Ferdinand, Andrew WK, Kate Nash, Sage Francis, The Cribs and Faud and The Feztones AND MORE to join them on their upcoming white-splattered LP titled Busy Doing Nothing. It will be in record shops on March 6th and comes with a free 2012/2013/2014 Punk Rock Calendar filled with vintage punk rock images from Vancouver's iconic Bev Davies. Oh boy!

Tracklisting:***Side Nard***1. The Evaporators & Andrew W.K. "I Hate Being Late When I'm Early" (The Evaporators/Andrew W.K.)– This is an original song, a collaboration between Andrew W.K. and Nardwuar's band, The Evaporators.2. The Cribs "Death In The Family" (The Dishrags)– The Cribs are from Wakefield, England and cover Vancouver All Girl 1970s Punk Band The Dishrags.3. Kate Nash "My Chinchilla" (Cub)– Kate Nash is from London and covers Cub, a Vancouver 1990s All Girl "Cuddlecore" band and the signature act on Mint Records.4. Franz Ferdinand "Real Thing" (Pointed Sticks)– Franz Ferdinand are from Glasgow and cover Legendary Vancouver 1970s Punk Band, the Pointed Sticks!5. Fuad & The Feztones "Welcome To My Castle" (The Evaporators)– This is Bobby and John from Montreal's legendary The Gruesomes. They (as Fuad & The Feztones) are covering (Nardwuar’s band) The Evaporators’ first single from 1992.6. The Evaporators ft. Sage Francis/Xaul Zan & Megan Barnes "Hot Dog High" (The Evaporators/Sage Francis/Xaul Zan)– Sage Francis raps on a verse for this Evaporators Original. Sage Francis runs Strange Famous Records and has released records thru ANTI-.***Side Wuar***1. The Evaporators "Busy Doing Nothing" (The Evaporators)– An Evaporators original and the title track.2. The Evaporators ft. Jill Barber & Andrew W.K. "Bring it On Home" (Doug Rutledge)– This is a cover tune by Doug Rutledge, a 1970s Rockabilly/Truckdriver. Canadian singer-songwriter Jill Barber duets with Nardwuar on this track. Andrew W.K. also adds piano and organ.3. The Evaporators "Milkshake Murder" (The Evaporators)– This is an Evaporators Original.4. The Evaporators "Bunk" (The Evaporators)– This is an Evaporators Original.5. The Evaporators "Pig War" (The Evaporators)– This is an Evaporators Original.6. The Evaporators "All The Bad Girls" (Pointed Sticks )– This is a Cover of Legendary Vancouver 1970's Punk Band, the Pointed Sticks.7. *Interview* "Nardwuar vs. Franz Ferdinand"– This is a clip from the first interview Nardwuar ever did with Franz Ferdinand.